‘Corruption is permanent in our country’

Criminals during lockdown

Last year, the number of financial crimes increased by 22,2%)and reached a record high number in the last three years — 2,717. Moreover, malfeasance (759, or +45,5%) and offences against state power (616, or +42,9%) made the biggest contribution to the growth in the number. While the amount of appropriation of property even somewhat decreased compared to 2019 (-15,4%).

“Offences against power are also a result of the absence of the authorities’ timely response to a fall in the quality of life,” thinks Ayrat Gatin, director general of Justice Juridical Centre, candidate for juridical sciences.

The factory of swindlers works stably: 539 and 540 crimes were registered in 2020 and 2019. While the amount of forgers grows in the republic year after year, there was a rise last year too — 330 cases (+21,3%). As Ayrat Gatin said, these crimes are always present, however, during the incessant crisis and a high inflation growth pace (with the same salaries), a rise in this kind of crimes is expected enough. At the same time, committing such crimes requires some equipment and sufficient knowledge.

Corruption-related crimes also surged in Tatarstan (+25,8%). Bribery in office increased almost 2,5 times (31 crimes in 2019, 107 — in 2020).

“Amid the crisis, the population is trying to take any advantage by any means”

But the biggest rise was demonstrated by three areas. The number of people offering a bribe rose by 167,7% (from 65 to 174) and those receiving a bribe did by 102,5% (from 81 to 164). Petty bribery in the republic augmented by 57,8%. While complicity in bribery, in contrast, reduced by 37%.

The number of cases of abuse of power doubled from 28 to 42. The quantity of misuse of power also grew by 44,4%. A rise in the amount of fraud by 26% is noted among economic and domestic crimes in 2020 (from 7,580 in 2019 to 9,551 in 2020). While Tatarstan had fewer thefts and robberies by 3,9%, -7,7% and -13,1% respectively.

53,856 crimes were registered in Tatarstan in general in 2020 (+8,1%; +1% in Russia; +1,6% in the Volga District), including 15,748 serious and very serious crimes (+30,8%; +14% in Russia; +18,5% in the Volga District). The crime rate in the republic per 100,000 people was 1,381 crimes (1,392 in Russia).

Swindlers switched to remote work

The total number of fraud in Russia in 2020 increase by record 30% (in five years) from 257,000 to 335,000. Moreover, to be fair, we should note positive dynamics on a fall in thefts (-16,2%) and robberies (-21,7%). The same moderately positive dynamics are seen in thefts. Their figure reduced by 3,9% over the year. However, such a fall had been seen since 2016 and was 13,7% in the last five years.

One in five thefts (18,3%), one in 25 robberies (4,1%) and one in eight assaults (12,5%) included illegal invasion to one’s home or another place.

510,400 crimes committed with the help of information and telecommunication technologies were registered from January to December 2020, which is 73,4% more than during last year’s analogous period. Their share in the total number of registered crimes rose from 14,5% in January-December 2019 to 25,0%. Almost all such crimes (98,6%) are detected by agencies of internal affairs. More than half of such crimes (52,4%) are considered serious and very serious: 267,600 (+87,5%); more than half is committed on the Internet: 300,300 (+91,3%), almost half (42,9%) — with mobile phones: 218,700 (+88,3%). According to Ayrat Gatin, the period of lockdown when mobility of the citizens was significantly restricted was marked by a transition of crime to cybercrime.